Wild Zones of Negaria, Volume 1

Wild Zones of Negaria - a Survey - Vol. 1

Having previously examined what wild magic is, we can now explore an oft overlooked area of study. What are wild zones and their features?

Wild zones, often named as wild magic areas, are locations in which normal casting is unstable. Spells of both an arcane or divine nature, whether cast by a mage, priest or activated via an artificed item, will surge resulting in unintended and often lethal situations. Wild zones can be further broken down as to whether they also affect the manipulation of psionic energies. Some zones can even prevent a mind bender from manifesting their mental powers.

Dead or Null zones are a zone where all arcane or divine magic cast within the area ceases to function. Again, whether this affects psionics is variable. Null zones by themselves have often been attributed to the presence of illithids or their lairs, a horrifying prospect.

In all of the above cases, magic or psionic effects can be safely cast outside the zone and often carried in. Though some areas seem to leech and even dispel longer term wardings simply by passing through them. However it is obvious that wild and null zones affect the physical laws of the prime and the metaphysical laws of magic and psionics. I would surmise that it is external manipulations of energy that are mostly blocked or impaired as experimentation has proven in the few times I have been able to access such sites and individuals with such abilities. I refer to my experiments within the Mikonian Wild zone (more on this location below shortly) Interestingly both a psion and a palemaster were inhibited with their external manipulations of their abilities. A Palemaster's ability to draw on external negative energy failed, yet when they attempted to drawn on the stored negative energies within their arm, they were able to manifest effects much like a paralysation spell. I would surmise that perhaps as the energies were drawn from within the arm, there was no need to shape it so much, so less shaping equals less chance for it to be twisted and surge. The psion could draw in energies and affect items around her within the null zone. However in the wild magic zone below, she could feel the energy only just not work it. They stated it felt "blocked like when infected with Xenon's curse." However they could still manage to heal themselves, using the "ki" within themselves. As I understood their explanation, ki is the positive energy that exists within us all and it's reserves can be drawn upon by skilled and trained individuals. Further experiments in other locations have continued to reinforce this distinction. Whilst a Monk's inner manipulations of Ki allow for him to shroud himself or heal wounds, a summoned Archon repeatedly caused many surges as she repeatedly attempted to channel positive energy externally from her home plane to 'smite' her attackers. (The long and short of it, don't bring planar summons that rely on abilities tied to their home plane. Golems are a good alternative if summoned outside the zone.)

How are wild magic zones created and powered?

To answer this question we must examine specific locations, as the 'how', 'why' and just plain 'what the hells', often vary. The very nature of surges, and the inability to reliably use magic to measure such effects, leads to high levels of unpredictability. Because we can never know all the initial conditions of these chaotic and complex systems in sufficient detail, we cannot hope to predict the ultimate fate of a complex system without potential gross margins of error. However, we can draw some more general observations from such locations.

City of Mikona - Wild - Both magic and Psionic, - Null - Magic, psionic unknown.

The area underneath of Mikona is full of uncontrolled energies that interrupt any spellcasting, and in far more regularity than my own whole art's surges. By my count perhaps even so often as 1 in 10! The area's energies originate from a open portal, that appears to have a unstable connection to limbo, as evidenced by the amount of planar creatures from that plane emerging from it's maw. I saw green slaads,(amusingly even their own spells were surging against them) and numerous grey skinned humanoids known as Gith. Many elementals cluster in this area, though if they are also drawn from other planes, or merely attracted by the energies within the area, I could find no evidence. Interestingly the area surrounding this place, is a dead magic zone. Is this a side effect of the portal, or merely a newly formed dead zone as the Portal's wild magic zone retreats. I will be first to admit that more work is needed to measure the size and diameter of this area, a difficult prospect as much of this lies underground.

I have undertaken further research which has since revealed the unstable portal is the result of a conflict between a powerful undead being known as Bia'taron and the group known as the Keepers of the Cycle. The cave under the temple district is the site of their final encounter. At its deepest depths there lies a portal suspended with the remains of an arcane device. This portal was built by Bia'taron with the purpose of connecting to the plane of Hades, and bringing Bia'Tarons demon master here. The portal was designed to be an exceptionally powerful one as this one as intended to allow the demon to fully manifest on this plane, with its full power. I can here quote Magus Seylek of the Ivory directly as he was there to witness the confrontation and has been kind enough to inform me of the event.

"The central component of the portal was a crystalline artifact which had originally been created several decades before as a soul jar to imprison Bia'Taron. Over time, the crystal was corrupted, and after Bia'taron escaped it was re-purposed as a conduit for the demons power. This crystal sustained Bia'tarons unlife, making him impossible to destroy while the crystal remained intact, and it also served as a weapon, and as a power source and controlling mechanism for the portal. Ultimately, it became necessary to destroy the crystal. It was shattered, and the portal collapsed as the demon was attempting to pass through. To the best of our knowledge, the demon was torn between the two planes and destroyed utterly. All fragments of the crystal that could be found were collected, and removed from the site, although keen eyed explored have been known to occasionally find pieces I missed. As far as I can determine, these crystal fragments are now completely inert, all magic gone from them with the death of the demon that corrupted the crystal."

After this the portal once active, became self-sustaining, powered by its own wild magic fluctuations. I have been informed that the Portal's typical behavior only allows one way passage and will shift at random through different planes, bringing the breadth of planar creatures found within the caves. It has been known on rarer occasions to allow passage off-plane. It has also proved impossible to affect the portal magically, as any arts used nearby it, are rendered useless by its very nature.

The Hills of Tumult. Ex-Wild zone, previously magic, psionic unknown.

Once this zone was a true wild zone. Creatures and peoples roamed madly, conjured up or driven mad by this area, but as time has passed since the Gnomish disaster, the wild energies have faded. Spells now function normally, though the air is still tinged with the distinctive smell of ozone, and the prickle of energy. Slaads have seen fit to colonize a small section of this area (of which you can find a more detailed examination of these creatures in my other writings) Like the zone beneath the city of Mikona, other planar creatures from Limbo inhabit this place, oozes and the bizarrely black and white limbears. Creatures from Limbo obviously feel at home amongst such energies, and other planar creatures use it as a weak spot to pass over into our world. This site more than any other gives rise to the current theory that unsustained areas of wild magic will dissipate over time. Of course further examples must be examined to compare and contrast the results I have found. The final following volume will expand upon these sites and conclude my findings.

G.E. Great Magus of the Red Order.